PEVCA Malta joins global private investment body

The Private Equity and Venture Capital Association of Malta (PEVCA Malta) has joined Invest Europe, the world’s largest association representing the private equity and venture capital industries.

The honorary membership was formalised on Wednesday through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, securing PEVCA Malta’s place within Invest Europe and marking an important step in strengthening Malta’s engagement with the European private capital community.

The development also reinforces the country’s ambition to position itself as a competitive jurisdiction for investment, innovation, and long-term economic growth.

PEVCA Malta Chairman Martin Galea described the development as an important milestone for Malta’s economic landscape.

“Just over two years ago, PEVCA Malta was created to address a clear gap in our economy. Historically, we have seen a concentration of capital in certain sectors, such as construction. This MoU carries strategic importance: it signals that Malta is serious about developing private equity and venture capital into a key part of our financial services sector,” he said.

Martin Bresson, Public Affairs Director at Invest Europe, highlighted the importance of Malta’s active participation in international discussions.

“If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu,” he remarked, encouraging strong involvement at European-level talks.

The signing ceremony was presided over by the Minister for Finance and Employment, Clyde Caruana, and held with the support of FinanceMalta and the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA).

The minister described the development as a “win–win,” noting that the MoU both validates its efforts and lays the groundwork for further sectoral progress in the years ahead.

The agreement, he noted, validates PEVCA Malta’s work to date and is expected to act as a catalyst for future growth.

Earlier in the event, John McIlwaine, Senior Regional Representative for Italy & Malta at the European Investment Fund, addressed the audience.

He noted that the so-called “28th regime” could give Malta an opportunity to leapfrog other jurisdictions, presenting a bold and ambitious path forward for the sector.

The “28th Regime” is a proposed optional EU-wide legal framework that would sit alongside the existing laws of the 27 member states. It would offer companies, particularly startups and scale-ups, a single, harmonised set of rules to operate more easily and competitively across the single market.

The framework aims to simplify areas such as company formation and shareholder rights, though questions around taxation and employment law remain under discussion.

FinanceMalta Chairman George Vella said he firmly believes that the private equity and venture capital sectors represent the “missing links” in Malta’s financial services offering, with strong potential to enhance the broader ecosystem.

Joseph Zammit Tabona, Chairman of the Malta Financial Services Advisory Council, added that PEVCA Malta’s entry into Invest Europe sends a strong signal to the international community.

 “Becoming a member of the largest private equity association shows that Malta’s market is maturing. Attracting these sectors is instrumental not only in supporting existing segments of our financial services landscape but also in enabling new ones to flourish,” he said.